Weird state after trip

[kvn]

So, about a month ago, I had my first time with shrooms.
Although my dose wasn't that much (about 2g, I couldn't finish the rest), the experience was something I have never encountered before on any of my LSD or DMT trips.
After taking them at about 8pm, I quickly lost all sense of time, identity and felt a grand unity with the universe. This was great, but as I started coming down I felt a very strong abdominal pain. Amplified by the psychedelic it felt like death in the worst way possible. I got a warm compress against the cramping, which helped a little and lied down. After waking up the next day though, I felt off. Like I was still not fully here, in this reality, but I had no visuals or any other indication that I was still tripping. This continued for some time, but now it's only in the mornings that I feel this way. I feel detached from reality, like it's a simulation. Originally, I thought that I finally got schizophrenia, but I know that there aren't any relatives with schizophrenia and I have had quite a few strong LSD and DMT trips before, that would've definitely triggered it if I had it. HPPD also doesn't really fit, because I have never experienced visuals since that mushroom trip (Although my trips aren't that visual anyways). Recently, I talked to a doctor about the abdominal pain and got diagnosed with gastritis. I assume the mushrooms just caused it to flare up and amplified the pain.
So, now, a month later after the experience, I still have this weird feeling in the mornings that's akin to the state of mind during a psychedelic experience. One is more suggestible, emotions like anxiety are amplified, etc etc.
During the day, I'm very happy and fulfilled and have no such feelings whatsoever.

Is there anything I could do to remedy this?
Will it go away on it's own?
Should I get used to it being like this forever?

 

[Transform]

Sorry to hear about that. The phrase "infected mushroom" springs inescapably to mind, so lets have a bit of that to start with…

In absence of further information, the general assumption will be that you've consume Psilocybe cubensis mushrooms. These are quite well-known for their propensity to cause gastrointestinal discomfort.

Add to that any unknowns regarding their providence and, while, we can't entirely discount that there may have been a small amount of bacterial or mould contamination, we also shouldn't assume that to be the case either. Bear in mind also, if you or a dearly trusted friend haven't grown them yourself/selves, there's also a non-zero chance for any of an entire universe of adulterants, although I get the feeling you're OK in that respect this time.

Sooo… serotonin receptors - the ones activated by psychedelic molecules like psilocin from magic mushrooms - are found with highest abundance in the intestines. Activation of gut serotonin (5-HT) receptors will cause strong muscular contraction - cramping.

The likely reason why you experienced this with mushrooms and not with LSD or DMT is that - and I'll make a leap of inference here - the mushrooms were less than thoroughly chewed*, so there was a significant amount of psiloc(yb)in remaining in the poorly-digestible mushroom material as it entered the small intestine. This will have acted like a timed-release formulation, directly activating your guts' 5-HT receptors as the mushroom bolus moved through.

There's every possibility this extreme gastrointestinal discomfort will have caused some level of somatopsychological trauma - and if it was keeping you awake, sleep deprivation likely won't have done you any favours either.

I'd like to take a moment to ask you to think about your dietary and exercise habits around that time, though. Dietary and temporal factors would be quite capable of increasing your gut's serotonin responsivity, not to mention sundry life stressors like work and finance - and I'll leave the gut microbiome to this barest mention.

Is there anything about your life conditions and concerns that this might throw some light on?

Regarding those feelings you describe having first thing in the morning, waking up from sleep can be highly 'psychedelic' in its own right - the word is "hypnopompia" - and maybe you've simply become more aware of this state. It's something I personally incorporate into my morning meditations, exercising my brain's reality modelling apparatus for simulating my various plans for action, along with developing my general visualisation capabilities (which are really useful when thinking about chemistry and molecular bioscience )

Reading on a bit further, I see you got a gastritis diagnosis. Do you have any idea about preceding causative factors there? Not that I can offer any medical advice here (nor am I in a position to) - but what course of treatment has your doctor proposed, and how did they formulate the diagnosis? Do you have a personal plan of action for healing?

This resonates quite strongly with me as someone who's lived with and beyond some long term gastrointestinal sensitivities, so forgive me if the reply's been a bit long-winded!

And, welcome to the Nexus!

 

[kvn]

Thanks for the thorough reply, Transform!
First of all, about the mushrooms. I have grown them myself, so there aren't any adulterants that I worry about. When it comes to mold/bacteria, there was no visible contamination and the rest of the batch is still completely in tact. I knew about the 5-HT receptors, but your explanation of why psilocybin reaches the small intestine in larger quantities than other psychedelics is genius. It makes so much sense, I wonder how I didn't think of it prior.

About lifestyle, I wasn't really stressed out, but my routine was getting very repetitive. (I now know that it's a bad idea to make up for the lack of diversity in your life with psychedelics.)
What could have increased my gut's sensitivity to serotonin and what I also assume is the cause of the gastritis is the stomach flu I had 2-3 weeks prior.
For the gastritis I got a proton pump blocker that I take each morning for 4 weeks. The stomach flu is gone, so I'm not taking antibiotics or similar.

As for what I plan on doing about it, I'll make sure to fully integrate all insights from the trip, switch up my routine, practice mindfulness, take the proton pump blockers and make sure my stomach recovers. I also want to pick up fermenting foods as a hobby, which has the benefit of providing me with healthy food for my gut.
I'm not sure when I'll feel like taking psychedelics again, but I don't think that I will stop using them forever.

 

[Transform]

That sounds like you're on track. I hope talking it through a bit helps contribute to your wellbeing. Glad to hear you grew your own shrooms. Maybe when you get back to it, making a brew of some kind would be gentler on your insides, especially if you include some soothing herbs.

One thing I'm wondering - how long do you have your prescription for the PPI?

And yes, psychedelics will always be there to return to, so taking a break for reflection and integration makes a lot of sense.

 

[kvn]

Thanks for taking your time talking with me!
The prescription is for a month, after which I have another appointment.
Also, what soothing herbs would you recommend?
You also mentioned having some digestive issues of your own? I'm very curious to hear how you dealt with them and what it was!

Again, thank you for your replies!

 

[Transform]

Well, I guess I always had sensitive guts after a life-saving course of antibiotics as a small child. It was broadly OK going into my 20's up until I ate a dodgy crêpe in London a day or two after a night out involving MDMA, but really went downhill after I bombed out of my social group after a messy break-up. Nowadays I avoid wheat for more reasons than just my guts, and regularly drink herb teas like chamomile and peppermint, as well as having developed a foundness for bitter herbs like wormwood.

Something you might want to look into is The Secret-Alchemist Club Anti-Nausea Shot - not that nausea was your issue, but it's kind of in the same ballpark. Check with your physician about compatibility of herbs with your medication, though. Ginger might be too 'hot' for your stomach at the moment.

If it was me, I'd also consider using marshmallow root, Althaea officinalis, to soothe stomach inflammation. Meadowsweet, Filipendula ulmaria is also suggested for stomache acidity, but this may not be compatible with concommitant use of a PPI, and can be contraindicted in cases of hypersensitivity towards salicylates. It would still make a good combination with marshmallow and peppermint, complemented also by the mucilaginous leaves of comfrey (there's a whole side-ramble about pyrrolizidine alkaloids and hepatotoxicity or absence thereof, that's more a case of making sure one has true comfrey).

Licorice root, Glycyrrhiza glabra is one of those love it or hate it things, but you could include that if it's to your tastes and don't have any issues with high blood pressure.

For antispasmodic effects, motherwort, Leonurus cardiaca might be worth considering as well.

Besides that, my difficulties were more intestinal than stomach-based so my personal experience remains limited in that respect.